Vicar who contracted HIV in attack tells her congregation in video

Hayley Young from Hayling Island Baptist Church was prompted to make the video after questions about her hair loss

A vicar from Hampshire who contracted HIV in an attack has made a courageous video to explain her illness to her congregation.

The Rev Hayley Young, 28, from Portsmouth, contracted the disease following an attack in 2013 and was diagnosed after suffering flu-like symptoms.

Rev Young, who has been working at Hayling Island Baptist Church for five years said the medication which has caused the loss of her hair and prompted questions from her congregation, is “trial and error.”

"I was shocked when I was diagnosed but I knew that with treatment it wasn't the end of the world.

"Obviously I told those close to me but, because of the stigma attached, it was not something I wanted to broadcast.

"I decided to make the video to let my congregation know and they have all been amazing.

"There are about 80 people in my congregation and they have all been overwhelmingly supportive after I played the video - it made me feel very humble."